Texans fall to Colts, drop to No. 3 seed in playoffs

That was the mantra for the Texans from the first day of training camp this season. And not just from the fans, but the players and coaches themselves.

Super Bowl or bust!

Super Bowl? New Orleans seems like a lot further away than a five-hour drive.

Bust? Introducing the 2012 Houston Texans.

The Texans, owners of the best record in the AFC the entire season, lost 28-16 at Indianapolis on Sunday, and the AFC South champions staggered into the playoffs with their third loss in the final four regular-season games.

The Texans will not be the No. 1 overall seed in the AFC playoffs, and and even the biggest Texans supporters might say they don’t deserve the No. 1 seed anyway.

The Texans will host the Cincinnati Bengals at 3:30 p.m. Saturday in the wild-card round. The teams are meeting in the wild-card game for the second consecutive year.

“We’re not going to feel sorry for ourselves,” Texans coach Gary Kubiak said. “We’ll get our chin up and go back to work.

“Tough league, and you’re going to have some highs and lows. We’re very capable of flipping it back the other way.”

Riding the emotional return from leukemia of head coach Chuck Pagano, two explosive offensive plays — a 101-yard kickoff return and a 70-yard pass play — and two terrible Matt Schaub interceptions, the Colts continued the Texans’ embarrassing and surprising slide.

On Dec. 2, they were 11-1, coming off their sixth straight victory, a workmanlike effort at Tennessee.

But the Texans were crushed in New England on Monday night, squeaked by the visiting Colts and then lost their last two games — a home setback to the Vikings last week and a loss to the Colts and rookie quarterback Andrew Luck, a Houston native.

A win in either of the last two games would have given the Texans the No. 1 overall seed and home-field advantage throughout for the first time in city history.

The Broncos (13-3), with their win over the Chiefs on Sunday, secured home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. The Texans beat the Broncos in Denver in Week 3.

The Patriots (12-4) finished tied with the Texans, but, thanks to their blowout win earlier this month, will get the first-round bye and the No. 2 seed.

The Texans will have the No. 3 seed and host the Bengals. The AFC North champion Ravens will host the Colts (11-5) — who were 2-14 last season.

If the Texans beat the Bengals, they will travel to New England, seeking revenge against Tom Brady and Co.

Cornerback Johnathan Joseph said his confidence is not shaken, despite the December struggles.

“We don’t have anything to be upset about,” he said. “There’ll be 12 teams in the playoffs and 20 sitting at home watching us play.”

The Texans outgained the Colts 352-265 yards on Sunday, but the Texans had two turnovers to zero for the Colts.

Schaub went 24-of-36 for 275 yards with no touchdowns but two picks. Arian Foster had 96 yards rushing and a score, and Andre Johnson had 12 catches for 141 yards.

Luck threw for 191 yards — including a key 70-yard pass to T.Y. Hilton that sealed the win.

The Texans’ only lead on Sunday lasted just 12 seconds.

After Shayne Graham’s 37-yard field goal gave the Texans a 16-14 lead with 5:22 left in the third quarter, Colts returner Deji Karim went 101 yards untouched up the middle to put the Colts back ahead 21-16.

Another huge play extended the Colts lead to 28-16.

On third-and-23 from the Colts’ 30-yard line, Luck hit Hilton for a 70-yard touchdown pass with 11:22 left in the fourth quarter. Hilton simply ran by the Texans’ defense and caught a perfect pass from Luck in stride.

On the Texans’ next series, they were threatening from the Colts’ 30-yard line when Schaub threw his second interception.

He was targeting Andre Johnson in the end zone, but the forced throw was intercepted by Vontae Davis.

It was Davis’ second interception of the game.

The Texans were down just 7-6 in the second quarter when Davis intercepted his first pass.

After starting the drive at their own 3-yard line after a Colts punt, the Texans had first down at their 30-yard line.

The Texans set up for a long pass play. The offensive line gave Schaub all of the protection he needed, and tight end James Casey had Davis beat on the play.

If Schaub throws a good pass, it could have been a touchdown and a 13-7 Texans lead. Instead, Schaub severely undrew the ball, and Davis slowed down and made a nice catch for the interception.

Davis returned the interception 26 yards to the Texans’ 39-yard line. Six plays later, Vick Ballard punched it in from the 1-yard line for a 14-6 Colts lead.

Schaub has thrown 12 interceptions in the regular season.

Riding the early game emotion, the Colts took a 7-0 lead with a game-opening 13-play, 75-yard touchdown drive.

Luck hit former Stanford teammate Coby Fleener for a 1-yard touchdown to cap the drive.

The Texans responded, getting to the Colts’ 30-yard line before stalling. A 51-yard Graham field goal pulled the Texans within 7-3.

Two plays later, the Colts caught a huge, controversial break when a sack and force fumble was overturned and ruled an incompletion.

On second down from their own 25-yard line, Luck was hit by J.J. Watt and Connor Barwin. The ball popped out and was recovered by rookie Whitney Mercilus.

After a review, it was ruled that Luck’s arm was moving forward and it was an incomplete pass.

The half sack would have given Watt 21 for the season and gotten him within 1 1/2 sacks of Michael Strahan’s single-season NFL record. But it was wiped out.

Instead of getting the ball inside the red zone, the Texans got the ball deep in their own 37-yard line.

Schaub hit Johnson for a 37-yard gain, though, to start a scoring drive.

The Texans got down to the 13-yard line before being stalled, settling for Graham’s second field goal of the day.

The 37-yard kick got the Texans within 7-6.

On the Texans’ next series, Schaub threw an absolutely terrible pass that was intercepted and led to another Colts’ touchdown and a 14-6 advantage.

The Texans came out with a strong drive — a much-needed drive — to start the second half, going 84 yards for a touchdown.

Foster finished the drive with a 13-yard run — the Texans’ first touchdown in eight quarters — to make it 14-12. Instead of going for the two-point conversion to potentially tie the score, Graham kicked an extra point for a 14-13 game.

The Texans, though, took their first lead on the next series.

Foster had a 39-yard gain to take the ball down to the Colts’ 22-yard line.

The Texans, though, went three yards in three plays — including two Schaub incompletions — and settled for a 37-yard field goal by Graham.

It gave the Texans a 16-14 lead with 5:22 left in the third quarter.

Then Karim went 101 yards for the answering score.

The Texans’ special teams, led by assistant coach Joe Marciano, have been a weakness all season long.

Special teams bit the Texans again early in the fourth quarter.

Graham missed a 53-yard field goal with 13:13 left that would have pulled the Texans within 21-19.

On the drive, Schaub had a nice 22-yard third-down throw to Kevin Walter for a first down to the Colts’ 33-yard line.

But on third down from the 27, Schaub took a bad sack, losing 8 yards and setting up up the long field goal attempt. The kick was wide left and short.

Then Luck hit Hilton for the decisive blow, completing the Texans’ stunning collapse in December.

“We knew it wasn’t going to be easy but it still just wasn’t there,” offensive lineman Duane Brown said. “The intensity just wasn’t there.”